NINOY AQUINO's Last Interview Before His Assassination | 21 August 1983 | Remembering Ninoy Aquino
Summary
TLDRIn this interview, a former opposition leader from the Philippines discusses his return to his homeland after his fellowship at MIT ended. Despite facing a death sentence and political opposition, he is determined to contribute to the 1984 elections and help reorganize the grassroots of his party. He expresses a willingness to face imprisonment or even death for his cause, hoping to engage in dialogue with President Marcos to address the country's issues and restore democracy.
Takeaways
- 📅 The interviewee's fellowship at MIT ended on June 30, necessitating a return to the Philippines within days to avoid needing another fellowship.
- 🏆 The interviewee wishes to contribute to the opposition preparing for the 1984 elections, having previously served as the Secretary General of a major opposition party.
- 🚫 There has been significant effort to prevent the interviewee's return to the Philippines, including denial of passport and travel documents.
- 🤔 The interviewee expresses confusion as to why the government would deny their return, considering the existing charges and death sentence against them.
- 🗣️ A desire to communicate directly with the president is expressed, believing that being physically present, even in prison, would facilitate this.
- 🛂 The interviewee is uncertain about how the government could deport them, having lost their passport and lacking a visa for Taipei.
- 💉 The interviewee is prepared to face the consequences of their return, including the possibility of execution if found guilty, or working for the opposition if not.
- 🤝 The timing of the interviewee's return and President Reagan's visit to the Philippines is coincidental, with no political ambitions for personal office.
- 🔒 Even if imprisoned, the interviewee believes they can be effective in organizing from within the Philippines, drawing a parallel to a general leading troops from prison.
- 👴 The interviewee speculates on an age gap and misunderstanding as potential reasons for President Marcos's opposition, despite no personal differences.
- 🛑 The interviewee advocates for the beginning of freedom of the press and credible elections, as well as economic restructuring to help the impoverished majority in the Philippines.
Q & A
Why does the speaker feel the need to return to the Philippines immediately after their fellowship at MIT ended?
-The speaker's fellowship ended on June 30, and they had to leave the United States within a few days. They also wanted to contribute to the opposition preparing for the 1984 elections and help reorganize their grassroots organization.
What is the speaker's role in the opposition party in the Philippines?
-The speaker was the Secretary General of the major opposition party in the Philippines.
Why does the speaker believe there has been an effort to stop them from returning to the Philippines?
-The speaker mentions that their passport and private documents were denied, and they were asked to delay their return without any assurance of receiving travel documents afterward, suggesting an attempt to prevent their return.
What does the speaker hope to achieve by returning to the Philippines, even with the risk of facing charges and a death sentence?
-The speaker wishes to contribute to the opposition's efforts for the 1984 elections, reorganize the grassroots, and possibly discuss the country's problems with the president, hoping for a restoration of democracy.
How does the speaker view the potential for dialogue with President Marcos upon their return?
-The speaker hopes to talk to President Marcos directly, believing that even as a captive, they might have the opportunity to discuss issues affecting the country and how the opposition could help.
What is the speaker's stance on the timing of their return in relation to President Reagan's planned visit to the Philippines?
-The speaker believes it is a coincidence, as their fellowship ended on June 30, and they had to leave the U.S. shortly after, before President Reagan announced his visit.
What are the speaker's political ambitions after returning to the Philippines?
-The speaker has no ambitions for office but feels a duty to help rebuild their party's grassroots organization and support younger leadership.
How does the speaker assess the effectiveness of their role in organizing the political situation in the Philippines if they are imprisoned?
-The speaker believes they can be more effective in the Philippines even if imprisoned, as their presence in the country provides psychological and moral support to their followers.
What does the speaker think President Marcos should be doing differently to prepare the country for the future?
-The speaker suggests that President Marcos should allow freedom of the press, hold credible elections, and focus on restructuring the economy to help the impoverished majority in the country.
How does the speaker view the potential danger of assassination upon their return to the Philippines?
-The speaker acknowledges the risk but is not deterred by it, stating that they must lead their people and fulfill their responsibilities, even if it means facing death.
What is the speaker's attitude towards the possibility of being jailed upon their return?
-The speaker is prepared to be jailed and continue their political work from there, viewing it as an inconvenience but not something to be ashamed of.
Outlines
🏛 Political Exile's Return to Philippines Amidst Opposition and Threats
The speaker, a former Secretary General of a major opposition party in the Philippines, discusses his plans to return to his homeland after his fellowship at MIT ended. Despite facing a death sentence and numerous charges, he wishes to contribute to the opposition's preparation for the 1984 elections. He expresses confusion over the government's efforts to prevent his return, including passport denial, and speculates on the reasons behind it. The speaker also reveals his desire to engage in dialogue with the president to address the country's problems, even if it means returning to prison. He maintains that his return is coincidental to President Reagan's upcoming visit and clarifies his political ambitions, focusing on rebuilding the grassroots organization rather than seeking office.
🗳️ Advocate for Democracy and Economic Reform in the Philippines
In this paragraph, the speaker continues to elaborate on his vision for the Philippines, emphasizing the need for freedom of the press, credible elections, and economic restructuring to assist the impoverished majority. He contrasts the progress of other Southeast Asian nations like Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore with the current state of the Philippines and believes there is significant room for improvement. The speaker also addresses the government's claim that it's unsafe for him to return, acknowledging the risk of assassination but stating that he cannot be deterred by fear. He expresses his readiness to either continue his political fight from jail or face deportation, and highlights the importance of his physical presence in the Philippines for the morale and leadership of his followers.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Fellowship
💡Opposition
💡Elections
💡Passport
💡Death Sentence
💡Grassroots
💡President Reagan
💡Assassination
💡Democracy
💡Economy
💡Jail
Highlights
Fellowship at MIT ended on June 30, necessitating a return to the Philippines.
Opposition is preparing for the 1984 elections, and the speaker wishes to contribute.
Need for at least four months to reorganize grassroots and campaign for elections.
Efforts to impede the speaker's return, including passport denial.
Puzzlement over why the government would deny return despite existing charges.
Desire to engage in dialogue with President Marcos about national issues.
Willingness to face death sentence if it means contributing to the country.
Uncertainty about how the government plans to deport the speaker without travel documents.
Connection between the speaker's return and President Reagan's visit is coincidental.
Lack of personal ambition for office, focusing on rebuilding grassroots organization.
Belief in the effectiveness of organizing from within the Philippines, even if imprisoned.
Comparison of the speaker's situation to historical figures who faced imprisonment.
Desire for a dialogue with President Marcos to discuss the country's future.
Call for freedom of the press and credible elections as steps towards democracy.
Concern for the impoverished and the need for economic restructuring.
Comparison of the Philippines' potential progress with other Southeast Asian countries.
Acknowledgment of the physical danger and the possibility of assassination.
Determination to lead and suffer with the people despite the risks.
Readiness to continue the crusade from jail if necessary.
Reflection on the importance of leading from within the country, even from prison.
Transcripts
you want to do it where he's sitting
well maybe this far I don't know
how much matter
rolling
Senator why are you going back to the
Philippines and why are you going back
particularly right now with this timing
well my my fellowship ended in June 30
in MIT and I had to leave the United
States within a few days after that
otherwise I'll have to get another
fellowship for another year I would like
to get back home because the opposition
is now preparing for the 1984 elections
and I'd like to contribute my efforts
and my assistance to the opposition
having been the Secretary General of the
major opposition part in my country we
need at least four months to to
reorganize our Grassroots and then maybe
four months to campaign to be ready to
be in shape for 1984. has there been an
effort to stop you from coming back and
why would there have been this effort
there has been tremendous effort to to
get me back I mean they denied my
passport they denied private document
and I'm really puzzled why they would do
that because considering I have a death
sentence and considering that they have
so many charges against me I thought
that they will welcome me back to
Facebook make me face those charges but
then they brought me official
Communications asking me to delay my
return by at least one month or maybe
more without any assurances that after
one month I'll get a travel Document
I don't know really why you have no idea
why Marcos would not want you back
I guess your guess is as good as mine
but I do want to get back to talk to the
president I feel that as long as I'm 10
000 miles away I will not have the
opportunity to talk to them but if I'm
in prison if I'm his captive I think he
will condescend to talk to me because uh
I'd like to talk to him really to
discuss uh some of the problems
besetting our country and maybe the
opposition can help in the solution of
those problems what do you expect to
happen when we get to Manila
I don't know I I have been reading in
the Press reports that they will put me
back in a plane in this same plane and
send me back to my port of embarkation
but I don't know how they can do that
because I'm a Filipino and I've lost my
passport I have no visa to Taipei so I
don't know how they can send me back I
really hope that they will allow me to
sustain my country it's my homeland I
don't mind if they put me back in jail
that I have a death sentence and in fact
I'm coming back to tell them if they
think I'm guilty I'm ready to be shot
but if not I would like them to free me
so that I can discharge my duties for
the opposition
what is the connection between your
going back now and President Reagan
visiting the Philippines in a few months
time
I think it's pure coincidence because uh
when I planned my return to the
Philippines uh President Reagan has not
even announced his visit so that it was
just plain timing I repeat my fellowship
ended 30 June and I had to clear out of
America otherwise I'll have to get
another fellowship for a year and that
will mean that I won't be able to come
back until about June of 1984. so uh the
this is the present Reagan of Israeli
coincidental I think what are your own
political ambitions I've said time and
again that I've no longer I'm no longer
great for office but I feel that I have
a duty to discharge don't for my party
and my colleagues and I will just help
in the
in the rebuilding of our Grassroots
organization I am humbled with a lot of
legal cases and uh I feel that history
has really passed us by and it's time
for us now to help the younger elements
of the party for leadership can you be
effective in organizing the political
situation in the Philippines if you're
behind bars yes I it will be very
limited but better better than none I
can be more effective in the Philippines
than in America 10 000 miles away so
that even if I'm in prison as I did in
1978 I will be able to meet with my
lawyer so in turn will be able to pass
on the messages to the Grassroots worker
at the alone that I'm in the
Philippines means a lot you know
psychological and morally for our
followers I don't think a general should
be 10 000 miles away from the battle he
should be leading his troops even if he
should lead them from prison why why do
you think that President Marcos has been
so much opposed to you over the years
and and considers you to be so much of a
threat I don't know uh there's really an
age gap between me and the president I
am 50 and he's 66 and uh I suppose it's
just like uh an older brother not
understanding a younger brother but uh
we have had no personal differences
um he's been with the Nationalist party
when I switched to the liberal party and
uh I really don't know I only hope that
they'll give me a chance to talk to him
when I get back
and hopefully convince him on some
things that I'd like to to see happen in
our country I would like to rate the
rate I am not out to overthrow him on
the contrary I submit that I could be
his best friend because the opposition
can be of help in restoring democracy in
my country and that's all we're asking
for what very simply do you think that
he should be doing he's not doing now
I feel that he should now prepare the
country for the time when he will pass
away and therefore I'd like to see the
beginnings of freedom of the press then
after that we should have free clean
Anonymous election credible election and
then we can go into restructuring the
economy to help the poor because the
final bottom line thing here is how well
is the government helping the majority
of the impoverished Filipinos we have to
address ourselves with the problem of
the worker the rural worker the
industrial worker the very poor in my
country so that when you go to Southeast
Asia Taiwan is for example is example it
has progressed tremendously Korea Hong
Kong Singapore and I see no reason why
the Philippines cannot duplicate that so
I do believe that there is a tremendous
room for improvement and I think if the
president will give the opposition a
chance to contribute its input the
Philippines can move forward
now the government has said that they
have denied you travel documents because
it's not safe for you to come back but
you
assassination attempt well is there a
danger a physical danger to you in going
back I suppose there's a physical danger
because
um you know assassination is part of
Public Service look at poor President
Reagan he got shot because Hinckley fell
in love with Jody Foster so that's uh
part of the hazard of the game
my feeling is we all have to die
sometime now if it's my fate to die by
assassin's bullets so be it but I cannot
be petrified by inaction or fear of
assassination and therefore stay in a
corner I I have to suffer with my people
I have to to lead them because of the
responsibility given to me by our people
I thank God I
can immediately
now I am hoping that they will allow the
president Manila at least to talk to me
and therefore I'll make my appeal to
present Marcus directly through the
local press
but I'm willing to go back to jail I
have no I've asked him for now so uh
prepared for that you're prepared to
stay in jail then for his oh yeah that's
not what they want I mean I can go two
ways I can go on an armed struggle which
I think is futile or I can go to jail
and continue my crusade from jail and I
don't think the jail has been an
honorable place so there's nothing to be
ashamed of it's an inconvenience but uh
it's something that I've lived with for
ages I've been very supportive and very
sympathetic so those three good years
are the best years about about 12 years
or 17 years caramelis was out for nine
years the goal was out of a France for
some length of time Romania was out for
18 years I really don't know but uh
thanks to Mr Marcus and his press it's a
negative press of course but they kept
me alive I mean you know they they
always headline me as being Mastermind
of this and that so I think uh by and
large in terms of the people that might
be
I think
I think the very alone that we can
land is Victory enough everything after
that bonus I mean whether they put me
back in the plane and shipped me out or
bring me to prison
I have promised to return I have
returned Against All Odds so that's good
enough for me I mean as far as I'm
concerned that's it
now if they will allow me to talk to the
people that will be the bonus
it's true you have been able to talk to
them quietly
well thank you very much sure
thank you
[Music]
sorry
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